2027 Election: Tinubu's Govt Reacts as Atiku, Peter Obi Gang Up Against President
- Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation, said the factors that earned Peter Obi millions of votes in 2023 will collapse if he ends up as Atiku Abubakar’s running mate in 2027
- Keyamo said the African Democratic Congress (ADC) coalition adopted by the opposition will have no electoral impact
- A presidential election will be held in Nigeria in early 2027; Peter Obi is believed to be eyeing the presidencya
Legit.ng journalist Ridwan Adeola Yusuf has over 9 years of experience covering elections, politics, and governance in Nigeria.
FCT, Abuja - Ahead of the 2027 election, Festus Keyamo, minister of aviation and aerospace development, has declared that moves by the opposition coalition to unseat President Bola Tinubu will end in futility.
The senior advocate of Nigeria (SAN) spoke on Channels Television’s 'Sunday Politics' in a programme monitored by Legit.ng.
Source: Facebook
Keyamo confident ahead of 2027 election
He explained that three key demographic factors helped Obi in the 2023 presidential election.
The Delta-born politician listed the factors as regional loyalty from the south-east, religious identity, and the youth-driven 'Obidient' movement. According to him, two of those three support bases would collapse if Obi relinquished his presidential bid for a vice-president candidacy.
Keyamo said:
“The idea that combining Peter Obi and Atiku’s figures will defeat our 8.4 million votes in 2023 – that alliance will not work."
He added:
“If Obi is made a deputy, the Christian demography will pull out and become apolitical.
“Besides, the President’s wife is a pastor, and that appeals to Christian voters too. That will neutralise any faith-based political calculation."
Furthermore, the minister predicted that the south-east, which largely backed Obi in the 2023 election, would abandon him if Atiku Abubakar becomes the presidential candidate.
He said:
“These parties cannot campaign for an 80-year-old Muslim president. The youth won’t follow them."
Legit.ng recalls that in a significant shift in Nigeria’s political landscape in July, Atiku, Obi, and other prominent government critics formally adopted the African Democratic Congress (ADC) as its coalition platform to challenge President Tinubu’s re-election in 2027.
To lead this new phase, the coalition appointed seasoned political figures as interim leaders: former Senate President David Mark as national chairman, ex-Osun state governor and former Tinubu ally Rauf Aregbesola as national secretary, and one-time minister of youth and sports Bolaji Abdullahi as its official spokesperson.
Notable Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) chieftains, including ex-national chairman of the party, Uche Secondus; former speaker of the house of representatives, Aminu Tambuwal; and erstwhile governors of Jigawa, Cross River, Benue, Imo, Niger, and Ebonyi states—Sule Lamido, Liyel Imoke, Gabriel Suswam, Emeka Ihedioha, Babangida Aliyu, and Sam Egwu, respectively —have also aligned with the coalition.
Tinubu faces heat from northern leaders
Earlier, Legit.ng reported that a group of former northern legislators rejected the endorsement of Tinubu by some of their kinsmen.
The ex-northern lawmakers said they "refuse to endorse a failing system that continues to deepen the wounds of the North and the nation as a whole."
Source: Legit.ng
